Tube expander



1211191934. 1 QNAHR 1,942,612

`'11111313 EXPANDER Filed Jan. 8, 1932 INVENTOR A RNEY l commonly known as roller tube expanders.

Patented Jan. 9, 1934i i islam TUBE EXPANDER Frederick C. Naher, Scotia, N. Y.

Application January 8, 1932. Serial No. 585,459

2 Claims.

This invention relates to tools and particularly to an improved tool or device for expanding the ends of tubes which in curved sheets.

are extended through orices Tools ci this character are In the expansion of tubes in orifices of curved sheets, such as in drums, difficulty has been experienced in the tendency of the tool to disturb the position of the tube in the drum during the expanding operation. Further diiculty has been experienced with tools of this character where it is necessary to pass the tool through a hole of a smaller diameterl than the Yinside diameter of the tube to be expanded in order to reach the tube, as is often the case when expanding tubes in drums or cylinders.

, An object of the present invention is to provide a tool which will efficiently expand a tube in a curved sheet, such as the side of a drum, which tool will be positioned by the end of the tube in which it is inserted,

to disturb the positionof the tube with relation so there will be no tendency to the drum, and which tool will be capable of entering a hole vof smaller diameter than the inside vdiameter of the tube to be expanded.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a sectional view of a tube inserted in an orifice in a drum, the

drum being indicated by broken lines, with a tool embodying the present invention, shown in operable position within the drum and extending into the tube; Fig, 2 is a longitudinal sectional View on an enlarged scale of the expander end of the tool,

the expander pin being broken away at its ends, showing the pin in engaged position, taken on the line lI-II of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line III-III of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a section on the line IV-IV of Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 2 showing the pin in disengaged position.

A specific embodiment of the present invention is herein exemplified in connection with the expanding of a tube in a drum, so as to form a be inserted into the drum through the hole 3 and to extend into the tube 4 for the expansion of the Sallie.

The hole 3 is approximately opposite to although, as shown,

out of alignment with, the

hole 2, andis of a diameter less than the diameter of the hole 2 and sli ameter of the tube.

ghtly less than the inside di- In usual practice the hole 3 is threaded and a threaded plug is provided for closing the same, which plug is removable for purposes of cleaning the boiler, repairing the tubes, etc. By using a small hole less metal need be cut out of the drum and a drum of greater strength is provided than would be if a larger hole were used. rEhe inner end of the tube 4 extends slightly beyond the innersuriace of the drum. It will be apparent that the tool must necessarily be of such size and construction as to permit it to 55 pass through the hole 3.

1n usual practice tube expanders are guided or positioned by the sheet into which the tube is being expanded, this method being satisfactory when rolling tubes into flat tube sheets. In the case of sheets having curved surfaces, however, such as cylinders or drums, such a method of guiding or positioning the tool' against the concave inner surace of the drum cannot be satisfactorily used, and' when it is attempted to guide 75 or position the tool against the convex outer surface on the opposite side of the drum it has been found that-there is a tendency to draw the tube further into the drum.

The tool of the present invention comprises'a 80 cylindrical housing 6, of a diameter less than the inner diameter of the tube, and having a longitudinal central opening '7 formed therein, through which opening is passed a tapered arbor 8.V The arbor is provided with a straight end portion 9 of reduced diameter providing a shoulder 9a at its jointure to the tapered bodyl portion.

A washer 10 and nut 1l are secured at the extremity of the end portion 9, for preventing the arbor from being drawn out of the housing and allowing the tool to become disassembled and to engage the end of the housing for withdrawing the tool. Lateral openings l2 are symmetrically formed in the housing, and rollers 13 are disposed within the openings free for lateral move 95 ment therein relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing. The openings l2 are peened over at 14, at the siuface of the housing to prevent the rollers from dropping out of the openings. The rollers are tapered to one-half the degree of the taper kof the arbor, and are forced laterally outward as the tapered portion'of the arbor is pushed forward adjacent thereto. It will be apparent that when the arbor'is in disengaged or withdrawn position, the rollers may lie entirely within the housing, and when the arbor is pushed forward and the rollers are moved laterally outward, as aforesaid, their taper being one-half the amount of .the taper of the arbor, the outer surface of the rollers will be straight and parallel with the axis of the tube and the housing of the tool. Each of the rollers is bevelled at the opposite ends of its roller surface as indicated at 13a, to such extent that when the roller is in its outermost position the extreme edges of the bevels will be substantially flush with the surface of the housing. By virtue of the bevels, the housing may be inserted and withdrawn through the hole 3, and inserted into the tube 4, without interference from the ends of the rollers, that is, when the housing is so inserted or withdrawn any roller which is in its outermost position will be moved inwardly by the slidable contacting of its bevels with the edge of the hole or tube past which it is moved.

It has been the practice in expander devices to provide a collar on the housing adapted to bear against the inner wall of the drum to hold the device in position. Such collar, having a larger diameter than the body of the housing, would therefore prevent the housing from passing through a hole through which the same could otherwise pass. The instant device provides an improved means for holding the tool in position', relative to the tube to be expanded. In the housing 6, a plurality of slots 15 are formed between the openings 12. The slots are provided with slanting surfaces 16, 17 and 18 for purposes hereinafter described. Stops 19 are disposed within the slots and pivotally connectedto the housing by means of pins 20. The stops are provided with a plurality of relatively slanting surfaces 2l, 22, 23, 23a., 24 and 25. To operate the expander the housing is first passed through the hole 3, with the arbor in withdrawn or disengaged position and the stops inwardly swung and held in a position entirely within the housing, so as not to engage the edges of the hole 3. The straight portion 9 of the arbor, being of a reduceddiameter, as aforedescribe'd, when the arbor is in withdrawn position there is 'sufcient room within the housing so that both the rollers and stops may be disposed entirely within the housing, as shown in Fig. 5. In this position, the surfaces 23a of the stops will bear against the straight portion 9 of the arbor, or the parts may be proportioned to cause the wall'24 to engage the wall 18. The housing is turned to a position with one of the stops approximately at the bottom of the housing, which stop will drop or swing downwardly and out of the housing and as the housing is moved into the tube, this stop will engage the end of the tube. It will be apparent that as the arbor is moved toward roller engaged position which movement of the arbor must be begun before the housing has been moved to its innermost position with relation to the tube shown in Fig. 2, the shoulder 9a will bear against the surfaces 22 of the remaining stops, forcing thesestops outwardly so that the surfaces 24 of all of the stops will engage the end of the tube, and all of the stops will be forced by the end of the tube to their outermost positions (see Figs. l, 2 and 4), the stops being limited in their outward movement by their surfaces 21 bearing against the surfaces 16 of the housing and their surfaces 23 bearing against the surfaces 17 of the housing.

In the roller engaged position as shown in Fig. 2, with the surfaces 24 of the stops bearing again-st the end of the tube, the tool is held in a xed position with relation to the tube independently of the drum 1 into which the tube is being expanded. When the arbor is being withdrawn to the disengaged position shown in Fig. 5, the surfaces 25 of the stops will engage the periphery or" the hole 3 and the stops will be pivotally swung into the position within the housing with their surfaces 23d bearing against the straight portion 9 of the varbor so that the tool can be drawn through the hole without interference from the stops. The arbor 8 is provided with a knuckle or universal joint 26 of any well known type, to

permit its being rotated when, as in the instance illustrated in Fig. 1, the holes 2 and 3, in the drum are out of `alignment with each other. The outer end Ofthe arbor is squared at 27 to engage a motor or driving member (not shown) of any of the well known designs commonly used for such work. When the tool is in the position shown in Fig. 1 itis ready to operate and the forward movement ofthe arbor while the same is being rotated, exerts outward pressure on, and rotates, the rollers, and thereby effects the expansion of the tube within the hole of the drum.

IThe instant invention as aforedescribed provides a tool which will eiiiciently expand a tube in a hole in a curved sheet, such asia drum, .and which tool is positioned by the end of thetube. Any tendency to disturb the relative positions of the tube and the drum, is eliminated by this positioning. Further the invention provides atol which is capable of insertion 4and removal through a hole of smaller diameter than'the inner diam; eter. of the tube being expanded.

While there has been hereinbefore described a specic embodiment Vof the present invention, it will be apparent to those skilled .in the art, that many and various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit ofthe invention and it will be understood that all and any such changes and modiiications as fallwithin the scope of the appended claimsare contemplated as a part of the present invention.

The invention-claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A tool for expanding'a tubular object comprising a cylindrical housing having a plurality of spaced longitudinal openings formed therein, and a plurality of longitudinal openings formed in said housingout of alignmentwith the rst'said openings; rollers held in the rst said openings free for lateral movement from positions'within said housing to positions partially extending beyond said housing; stop members disposed in the second said openings pivotally connected to said housing and movable from positions within said housing to positions extending beyond said housing; and a rotatable longitudinally movable arbor extending through said housing arranged to engage said rollers for the exertion of lateral pressure thereon and to engage said stop members4 to move said members toward their outwardly extended positions.

2. A device for expanding the end portion of a tube circular in cross section extending into a drum through a hole oppositely disposed to a temporary circular opening, comprising a cylindrical housing having a front portion for insertion into said tube end portion andl a rear portion adapted to project from said tube end portion; a tapered arbor carried by said housing centrally therein with its larger end to the rear of said housing; a plurality of tube expanding rollers carried by said housing front portion around said arbor to permit tube expanding transverse outward movement and return inward movement of said rollers; a iiexible shaft secured at one of its ends to the rear end of said arbor for rotating and advancing said arbor to roll said rollers and to eiect said roller outward movement for expanding said tube end portion and for retracting said arbor to permit said roller inward movement whereby said housing may be inserted through said temporary opening and into said tube end portion; and a plurality of stops earried by said housing and arranged for outward and inward swinging movements to position outer portions of said stops outside of said housing in stopping positons by said outward movement and to position said outer portions of said stops within said housing by said inward movement whereby said housing may be freely passed through said temporary opening, said stops being provided with inner portions for engagement with said arbor whereby said outer portions are moved partially outward, by forward movement of said arbor relative to said housing, to tube end engaging posi-V tions and when said housing is partially within said tube end portion, upon further forward movement of said housing, the tube end, by engagement with said stops, will effect full outward positioning of ysaid outer portions and said inner portions will be thereby moved away from said arbor to permit subsequent free relative forward movement of said arbor to effect said expansion by said rollers. Y

FREDERICK C. NAI-1ER.

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